Hyundai Entourage 2007+

Hyundai really is rolling out a lot of products, with the release of the 2006 Sonata, Azera, Elantra, and a new Accent and Sonata on the way.

Now Hyundai prepares to roll out its first minivan for North America, the Entourage.

The platform is supposed to be shared with the new Kia Sedona, and power is expected to come from the same 3.8l V6 265hp engine that powers the new Azera.

On the safety front, the Entourage will have the Electronic Stability Control, with traction control and ABS. Six airbags and side curtain airbags will also be available.

Hyundai really is gunning for the American and Japanese big three with the release of it Sonata, and now the Entourage. And with everything the van has, there's no reason why it wont become a class leader.

BTW, in other markets like in the Middle East, Hyundai has offered two vans, the H-1 and Trajet.

Comments

They have confirmed that it will have the 3.8, although power figures have not been released yet. It is only going to be in long wheel base form. Rumor has it that the Kia will have long and short wheel base models available.

They are supposed to hit dealers in January, so I'll expect to see it in March.

You're right of course about power figures not being released yet. I said 265hp because that is the hp rating of the 3.8 used in the Azera.

But whether it has 265hp or not, I don't doubt the Entourage having more than adequate power. Its likely the Kia Sedona's 3.8, 240hp engine will power the Entourage. Hyundai is really getting competitive, if the new Sonata is any indication.

I don't know of any new info on the vehicle, and there aren't any spy shots anywhere on the web... yet. This is quite an impressive achievement for Hyundai, as the vehicle will be available for purchase early next year, and could debut at an auto show in as little as three weeks (no guarantees, though). There are usually uncovered insider spy shots by this point. We saw the 2007 Santa Fe, for example, completely uncovered nearly two months ago -- a vehicle that is scheduled to go on sale after the Entourage.

If you'd like, I can develop a projection of the vehicle's standard and optional equipment. I did a list for one of the Santa Fe threads concerning the '07 model. Sadly, I'll have to update the listing by additional posts on this website (rather than edits), but it should give you a pretty good idea of what we're looking at.

I don't know of any new info on the vehicle, and there aren't any spy shots anywhere on the web... yet. This is quite an impressive achievement for Hyundai, as the vehicle will be available for purchase early next year, and could debut at an auto show in as little as three weeks (no guarantees, though). There are usually uncovered insider spy shots by this point. We saw the 2007 Santa Fe, for example, completely uncovered nearly two months ago -- a vehicle that is scheduled to go on sale after the Entourage.

I was thinking that keeping it hidden for this long is pretty impressive too.

If you'd like, I can develop a projection of the vehicle's standard and optional equipment. I did a list for one of the Santa Fe threads concerning the '07 model. Sadly, I'll have to update the listing by additional posts on this website (rather than edits), but it should give you a pretty good idea of what we're looking at.

I appreciate this offer, but we're not seriously looking at buying a new vehicle in the near term. (well that may change if we find our two small cars can't handle the three of us, but that won't be until the winter close to the time when the Entourage will be released) My post was more out of curiosity. But if you do make those projections, I certainly would be interested in reading them.

Hyundai Motor America said on Friday that it has dropped plans to sell a traditional minivan next year.

Instead, the company says it will add a seven-passenger SUV. Later, it will offer a six-passenger sport wagon.

"We felt the best strategy was to leave the traditional minivan for others," says CEO Robert Cosmai. Hyundai wants to "stay appropriately differentiated from other brands."

The unibody SUV, about the same size as a Honda Pilot, will go into production in late 2006. The minivan, dubbed the Entourage, was scheduled for spring 2006. The Entourage was to have shared a platform with the Kia Sedona.

American consumers typically don't embrace rebadged vehicles, says John Krafcik, vice president of product development and strategic planning. Hyundai is trying to carve out a separate identify from affiliate Kia.

Moreover, the minivan segment is stagnant, he says.

The SUV will not be based on the Sedona platform, Krafcik says. The vehicle will be powered by a 3.8-liter V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It will offer electronic stability control and side curtain airbags.

The sport wagon, due in 2008, will offer a flexible interior for passengers and cargo, the company said in a press release Friday. The vehicle will be similar to the Portico concept shown at the Chicago Auto Show in February.

No word on whether or not navigation will be available, but other niceties (e.g., seat and outside mirror memory settings for driver, backup warning system, power liftgate, power adjustable pedals, premium entertainment system featuring a DVD player and 11 speakers, etc.) have been announced, so the possibility is there.

I bet the Kia dealers are cheering the cancellation news while the Hyundai dealers are upset over not getting their own minivan. It has been reported many times on the press how badly Hyundai dealers in the US wanted a minivan.

With the dropping of the Minivan plans It is becoming less likely that I will stick with Hyundai in the future. To bad as I'm on my 3rd Hyundai. Looks like it will be Honda or Toyota for me in the near future.

Go to autonews.com and they have a story about Hyundai bringing back the Entourage. I couldn't read it because i don't subscribe. However that piece of information does revive this discussion somewhat.

Navigation combined with a long warranty, low price, and decent features make it towards the top of the list, ahead of all the domestics. Hyundai/Kia is now third, behind a first place tie between the Odyssey and Sienna, and between the third place finisher Nissan Quest.

Saturn Relay, Buick Rendezvous, Ford Freestyle, and Chrysler Town & Country are bringing up the rear.

That's what I'm thinking they will do. I mean, the Grand Carnival seems to have pretty much all of the bells and whistles and upscale refinements that you could want in a minivan already. They may do that rather than bring the Grand Carnival over as a high-end Sedona (which might have been badged as a Sedona Limited, which was what I was predicting before the Entourage was back in the picture).

I'm really curious as to what the changed front and rear ends and the new instrument cluster will look like. I wonder if they will reveal any of that before it actually gets to the dealers. And when is "Spring" (March, April, May)?

8 seats would seem pretty tight. I looked at the spec of the Kia Sedona and if the Entourage is the same size, it's interior is a lot smaller than the Odyssey. Even my Freestyle has more space in rows 2 & 3.